The stories should not be filed in a manner that they create doubts about normalcy in the state and in the minds of the tourists intending to visit here," said Omar

The stories should not be filed in a manner that they create doubts about normalcy in the state and in the minds of the tourists intending to visit here," said Omar

Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday advised media to act responsibly in projecting the true picture of the state. He asked media to compliment government's effort in showcasing state's normalcy and tourist-friendly atmosphere.

"While filing stories about various happenings, reporters must ensure that stories are filed in balanced manner and with right perspective. The stories should not be filed in a manner that they create doubts about normalcy in the state and in the minds of the tourists intending to visit here," said Omar while inaugurating three-day Sindhu Darshan, the annual tourism promotion festival, being organised by tourism department, Leh.

Omar said Ladakh possesses unique attraction for natural beauty lovers and the heritage and cultural vastness of the region should be preserved.

To improve the air connectivity, Omar said he would ask the civil aviation ministry to start more Leh-Delhi flights.

The chief minister added that the government had initiated various measures to give fillip to tourism, showcase state's diverse tourist attractions and rope in tourists both from within the country and outside.

Expressing satisfaction over the preservation of cultural heritage by people of Ladakh, Omar asked them to remain positively involved in the protection and conservation of environment in the region that was unique and enthralling for the lovers of nature.

The chief minister referred to various projects being launched in Ladakh to promote tourism and generate economic activities for locals. He said the Rs 25-crore Trans-Himalayan Centre was under execution in Leh, while Rs 20-crore food craft centre and Rs 30-crore golf course were also being developed here.

He said these projects would give considerable fillip to the tourism and cultural activities.

The chief minister said he would direct the police department to examine the demand of Leh for enhancing the number of traffic personnel in the area to help smooth plying of traffic.

The function was addressed by tourism minister Ghulam Ahmad Mir who presented resume of the measures put in place by the government for restoring tourism glory of the state and attracting more and more tourists from all over the world.